Press Releases
Van Hollen, Senators Raise Concerns about Eliminating Refugee Cap
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) along with Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Thune (R-SD), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Thomas R. Carper (D-DE), Rob Portman (R-OH), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Ed Markey (D-MA) wrote a bipartisan letter to the administration to express concern … Continue Reading
August 06, 2019
Van Hollen Secures Maryland Priorities in Infrastructure Package Passed by Key Senate Committee
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has announced the inclusion of several Maryland priorities within the bipartisan America's Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019. This legislation, which passed the key Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last week, is the most significant investment in America's highways introduced in history. The bill authorizes $287 billion in federal funding over five years, including $259 … Continue Reading
August 05, 2019
Van Hollen, Warren, Pressley, García Applaud Fed Decision on Faster Payments
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Jesús "Chuy" García (D-Ill.) applauded the Federal Reserve's decision to move forward on building a real-time payments system. Currently, Americans lose billions of dollars each year in overdraft fees, driving consumers to turn to more costly financial products because of our inefficient payments system. Taxpayers deserve a public utility that allows them … Continue Reading
August 02, 2019
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces $1.9 Million for Community College of Baltimore County
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representatives Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) issued the following statement announcing $1.9 million in federal funding for Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) from the U.S. Department of Labor's Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grant program. This funding will go towards the training of CCBC students in healthcare-related apprenticeship programs in conjunction with other … Continue Reading
August 02, 2019
Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces $1.1 Million for Canton Railroad Company
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representatives Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) issued the following statement announcing $1.1 million in federal funding for the Canton Railroad Company from the Department of Transportation (DOT). These funds will go towards the Canton Railroad Company's Switch Replacement Project which will benefit the surrounding communities by bringing about safer and more reliable freight rail service. The Canton … Continue Reading
August 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Urge VA Secretary to End Anti-worker, Anti-union Negotiation Tactics
VA has Gone around Workers & Employed Delay Tactics; Brown Says Failing to Negotiate in Good Faith Threatens Quality of VA Services Provided to Veterans U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today joined a group of his Democratic colleagues urging Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie to abandon the Department's current destructive approach to ongoing negotiations with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). Despite VA and AFGE's history of engaging … Continue Reading
August 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Democrats Request Data from Trump Administration on Consequences of Texas V. United States Prevailing
Letter to Azar, Mnuchin Stresses Risk in Upending Health Care System, Need to Understand Ramifications if Obamacare is Gutted U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md, on Thursday joined a group of Senators in requesting data from the Trump administration to help states and Congress better understand the potential consequences if the Texas v. United States Affordable Care Act (ACA) lawsuit prevails in courts. In a letter to U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Department … Continue Reading
August 01, 2019
Van Hollen Statement on Bipartisan Budget Agreement
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding his support for the bipartisan budget agreement passed by the Senate today: "Today's bipartisan budget agreement will allow the Senate to get to work investing in the priorities of the American people. With this compromise, we can move forward on appropriating funds to the many crucial federal programs that serve our country - including those necessary to modernize our infrastructure, support education and … Continue Reading
August 01, 2019
Van Hollen, Young Introduce Legislation to Preserve Limits on Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Arsenal
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) have introduced bipartisan legislation urging the Trump Administration to maintain limits on Russia's strategic nuclear arms. The Senators' legislation calls for extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) until 2026, which would preserve crucial caps on Russia's nuclear capabilities, unless Russia violates the Treaty or until a sufficient new agreement is in place. The New START Treaty was signed in 2010, and has … Continue Reading
July 31, 2019
Van-Hollen, Velázquez Want Answers on TPS Immigration Program
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) have written to the Acting Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, expressing concerns with how the Administration is handling Temporary Protected Status (TPS) with regards to Guatemala, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Nicaragua has previously received the TPS designation, but the Administration has attempted to revoke it. Guatemala and Venezuela … Continue Reading
July 31, 2019
Senate Passes Van Hollen Bill to Authorize Honorary Promotion of Bethesda Veteran Charles McGee
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced the Senate passage of his legislation to authorize the honorary promotion of Colonel (Ret.) Charles E. McGee, United States Air Force to Brigadier General. Col. McGee, a resident of Bethesda, Md., served with the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, completing 136 combat missions. He completed an additional 100 combat missions in the Korean Conflict and 173 combat missions in the Vietnam War, amassing a record three-war total of combat … Continue Reading
July 31, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Native Plant Species
Today, U.S Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and several of his Senate colleagues introduced legislation that would promote native plant use, research, and protection. The Botanical Sciences and Native Plant Materials Research, Restoration, and Promotion Act would encourage federal land management agencies to hire botanists, establish a collaborative grant program to support efforts to keep rare plant species from becoming endangered and help endangered plant species recover, and proactively … Continue Reading
July 31, 2019
Van Hollen, Scott Introduce Landmark Legislation to Address Skyrocketing Prescription Drug Costs
We PAID Act Would Ensure Drugs Based on Taxpayer Funded Research are Fairly Priced Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced first-of-its-kind legislation to address skyrocketing prescription drug costs. The We PAID (Protect American Investment in Drugs) Act of 2019 will ensure that the prices of drugs developed using federally funded research (like NIH or CDC grants) are set at reasonable levels. Taxpayer-funded research plays a critical role in the … Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Van Hollen, Graham, Moran, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Require that Ex-Im Bank Financing of any Nuclear Projects in Saudi Arabia meet Strict Conditions
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation to require that Ex-Im Bank financing of any nuclear projects in Saudi Arabia meet strict conditions. The bill would ensure that any Saudi nuclear power projects are held to the nonproliferation “gold standard” for nuclear cooperation. It also strengthens congressional oversight of U.S. nuclear exports and financing assistance to Riyadh. The Bank … Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Van Hollen, All Senate Democrats Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, along with the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, introduced the Democracy for All Amendment, a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC and other disastrous court decisions, help get big money out of politics, and put power back in the hands of the American people. The full text of the amendment is available HERE. A background summary is available HERE, and a section-by-section with FAQs is available HERE. Citizens United and other … Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Van Hollen Raises Concerns about Inconsistent Details from USDA on ERS/NIFA Move
Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue raising concerns about inconsistent details about their planned move of USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).Senator Van Hollen spoke with Secretary Perdue on July 14th, and the Secretary assured him that staff would have additional time to decide if they wanted to move as part of the proposed relocation and that USDA would … Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Van Hollen, Senators Secure More Than $3.25 Billion to Create New Bridge Repair Grants in Highway Package Passed Out of Key Committee Today
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ed Markey (D-MA) secured their Bridge Investment Act in the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Highway package that passed the Committee today. The EPW package includes $3.265 billion to fund the Senators' bipartisan, bridge bill, which establishes a competitive grant … Continue Reading
July 30, 2019
Van Hollen Joins Colleagues in Renewed Call for FCC to Protect Community Television Channels
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), this week joined his colleagues in urging the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to protect public, educational, or governmental (PEG) stations as it proposes changes to the rules governing agreements between Local Franchising Authorities and cable operators. Currently, towns and cities across the country are permitted to require as part of cable franchise agreements that cable operators meet demonstrated community needs by providing in-kind … Continue Reading
July 29, 2019
Van Hollen, Rubio Push for DETER Act in NDAA Conference Negotiations
Today U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to the leadership of the Senate and House Armed Services Committee, urging them to include the DETER Act in the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report.“As conference negotiations begin, we urge you to ensure that the final conference report includes language to prevent future efforts by foreign governments and foreign actors to interfere in American elections by making it clear … Continue Reading
July 26, 2019
Van Hollen, Democrats Call for Reversal Amid Confusion and Concern Over Trump-Pence Administration’s Gag Rule That Will Undermine Health Care for Millions of Women
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and a group of Democratic Senators sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar slamming the Trump-Pence Administration's new gag rule that compromises the Title X family planning program and the health care of millions of people who rely on Title X-funded providers for cancer screenings, STI screenings, contraceptive care, family planning services, and more. The letter came as the Administration's minimal and … Continue Reading
